


The Outsiders Challenge

by many_fandoms07



Category: The Outsiders (TV 1990), The Outsiders - S. E. Hinton
Genre: Character Death, Depression, Episode: s01e08 Chapter Eight: The Outsiders, Sad, Suicide Attempt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-08
Updated: 2020-05-08
Packaged: 2021-03-03 03:27:53
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,330
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24068101
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/many_fandoms07/pseuds/many_fandoms07
Summary: So I had challenged a few friends to see who could make the saddest story by writing sad fanfiction from The Outsiders. This is mine, and I am the only one who pulled through with the challenge.WARNING: Mentions of suicide and depression. Do not read if this is a trigger for you.
Kudos: 11





	The Outsiders Challenge

It all happened too fast for Ponyboy to comprehend. It was just too much for him. So when reality hit him and he realized Johnny and Dallas were dead, he couldn’t take it. It started to affect his everyday life. He started to change.  
Each meal passed with him just playing with his food. Darry would notice and ask him what was wrong. Pony would reply, saying that he ate a big lunch and wasn’t hungry. The other two would brush it off and believe him. It would always make Ponyboy nervous when they would question him. He didn’t want to worry them more than he already did. It got to the point where Pony would even eat enough to satisfy his brothers, and then say he was going out. In reality he was walking down to the tracks and forcing himself to throw it all back up.  
He also quit a lot of what he loved. His art supplies collected dust on his desk. His writing notebooks sat untouched in his backpack. Ponyboy even quit track, telling his coach that he was still recovering from being sick. But he never told Darry or Soda. Instead, he would go to the tracks until it was time to go home. He just lost all the will to do everything he once loved to do. When Darry would ask when Pony’s track meets were he would say that he didn’t know. His life was falling apart to the point where he almost wanted it to end…  
Darry and Soda didn’t suspect a thing. They saw it as Pony still recovering. They blamed his tiredness from him possibly being sick. They believed him when he said that he ate a big lunch. When Ponyboy told Darry that his schedule wasn’t out, he believed him. Ever since the night he hit Pony, Darry made an effort not to argue as much. They never realized how bad off Ponyboy actually was.

When Ponyboy read that the school was doing a play that used the wired vests, he decided to try out. His plan was finally starting to form…  
Darry and Soda were extremely surprised when Pony had told them that he had gotten Connor Murphy in the school’s play. It was definitely much different than what the normal Ponyboy would do.  
“Which I like because Dear Evan Hansen is a really good book,” Ponyboy explained to his brothers.  
“Well,” Darry said smiling, “as long as you have fun and it’s legal, I don’t care what you do.”

A few months passed and it came time for Ponyboy’s final show. Little did anyone know that this would be the last time he would be seen…  
“Are you ready Ponyboy?” Sodapop asked with a wild grin. “It’s your last show after all.”  
“Sure am,” Pony muttered, upset. He didn’t want to say goodbye.  
“Pony!” Darry exclaimed from the driver’s seat of the truck. The sudden noise caught Pony’s attention, snapping him from his thoughts.  
“Yeah?”  
“Who do you play again?” Darry asked.  
“C-Connor Murphy,” he stuttered. It’s all happening too fast!  
They pulled up to the highschool. “Good luck Pony!” Soda said cheerfully. “Two-bit and Steve are coming to watch as well.” Ponyboy gave a fake smile. At least they’ll be there, he thought to himself. He got out of the car and made his way to the choir room.

The remaining members of the gang were seated in the very front row, anticipating for the show to start. Since none of them had read Dear Evan Hansen they didn’t know what to expect.  
“Hey guys,” Ponyboy said as he walked up to them before the show. Two-bit grinned wildly.  
“Hey there kid!” he exclaimed as several people shushed him and gave him threatening glares. The room was filled with Socs. It just wasn’t every day a greaser got one of the lead roles in a play.  
“Hey Two-bit. Hey Steve.” Something in Ponyboy’s eyes had changed. I can’t leave without saying goodbye. “I just wanted to say thank you to y’all before the show,” he started. “I’ve made it this far because of you all.” The lights dimmed. “Anyway, I have to go. Bye guys, love you!” he said quickly before running off. Steve raised an eyebrow.  
“That was weird,” he said. Two-bit laughed.  
“He’s probably nervous.”

Ponyboy folded the note, placing it under the chair. He wiped the tears from his face, taking a shaky breath. This is it, he thought.  
“Ready Pony?” Randy called, setting up the lights. Pony gave him a thumbs up, avoiding Randy’s eyes. He stood up on his chair and Randy raised an eyebrow. What is he doing? He asked himself. He turned around, his back now facing Pony. He flipped a few switches and turned back around. He felt like his soul had left his body…  
The lead role, Evan Hansen, looked over to where ‘Connor’ was supposed to be. His jaw dropped and he froze, missing his cue for his next line.  
“Evan!” the director snapped. He looked past ‘Evan’ and screamed. “Ponyboy!”

“I guess this is goodbye,” Ponyboy whispered to himself. He took the rope and tied a knot.

Darry, Soda, and Two-bit jumped out of their seats, alarmed. What could have happened? They all thought to themselves. They watched as ‘Evan’ froze in his spot on stage. The shadow of ‘Connor’s’ body was still visible. The director ran across the stage…

He slipped the knot over his head…

It’s supposed to be fake, Randy thought. This has to be fake.

“... I’m sorry guys…”

Reality hit everyone like a ton of bricks. People started screaming and running around, a few even crying.  
“Call 911!” the director yelled. Staff members rushed to guide people out of the auditorium. Darry grabbed Scout’s arm.  
“What’s going on?” he asked. Scout was sobbing.  
“H-He’s de-dead!” she screamed. Soda hugged her, fearing the worst.  
“Who?” he asked quietly.  
“Ponyboy!”

In the end, he realized it was a good thing. He’d be able to see Johnny and Dally after all. The one bad thing was that he’d never see his brother’s again. That’s what made him rethink his decision. When Johnny said that he wanted to kill himself, no one thought that Ponyboy would be the one to do it instead.

The chair was toppled over on its side, several feet from where it was supposed to be. Blood dripped slowly onto the floor, consuming everyone’s thoughts. The room was silent except for the wailing coming from both Sodapop and Darry. It shouldn’t have been him. Dear lord it shouldn’t have been him. We could have stopped this. There has to have been another way! Two-bit picked up a piece of paper from the ground.

Hey guys. I’m so sorry. I just couldn’t take it anymore. It’s just been too much, with all that’s been going on and all. My mind’s just become so dark. I didn’t even know who I was anymore. I’m sorry I said anything but I didn’t want to bother any of you. I’m sorry to leave to leave y’all like this but it’s for the best. You don’t need a depressed child around making everything worse. Darry, I’m sorry we never saw eye to eye. I wish I could have changed that. Soda, thank you for being there for me. It means a lot. Two-bit, I’ve always enjoyed your sense of humor. Thank you. Steve, we never did get along and to be honest I never really liked you. We never were friends but I thank you for keeping track of Sodapop. Please be with him during this hard time. I’m sorry guys. I love you all…  
Sincerely,  
Ponyboy Curtis

“... so today we mourn our brother and friend Ponyboy Curtis,” Two-bit spoke through tears. “He was too young to take his own life. He will be dearly missed.” The rain drowned out the sound of the pastor, claiming the tears of the very few that had showed up.


End file.
